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Power Generation
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Our society can only exist by energy generation on a large scale. Let's start at the human scale. If you read this, sitting quietly on a bench, you consume approx. 80W of energy, depending on your bodyweight (it increases by ½ W/kg). As soon as mechanical labour is executed, this figure will inrease rapidly. Hiking or cylcing calmly require approx. 300 Watt. The actual delivered mechanical power is approx. ¼, because human muscles are only efficient for 25%. This is roughly comparable to a modern car engine. The cyclist gets energy from food. On a peanutbutter sandwich (700 kJ) he will get as far as 10km. The energy contents of one litre gasoline is 32 MJ, equivalent to 45 peanutbutter sandwiches. A modern energy efficient car can get as far as 20km with this energy. When we realize how big our need for energy is, we have no other choice than to generate energy on a large scale in energy stations. Because of environmental factors it is impossible not to think of alternative systems in recent decades, such as biogas plants, cogeneration and sun and wind energy systems. 
Energy stations / Power plants
To provide for our energy demand we produce energy on industrial scale. We know many kinds of energy stations. Just to mention a few: nuclear, hydraulic, solar, conventional gas, oil or coal power plants. In each kind of power plant it is necessary to monitor and check the procedures. In order to warrant safety for people and environment in the power plants, they are provided with various monitoring and security systems. These power plants are not only provided with measuring systems, but also with various detection systems for gas and other substances hazardous for humans and animals, to secure the co-workers' safety, various security systems, represented by Imbema Controls, have in the meantime proven its effectivity. 
Biogas plants
Biogas or landfill gas is a gas mix occuring due to biological enzymatic processes. The main ingredients of biogas are methane and carbon dioxide. The gas arises due to fermentation of organic material, such as fertilizer, sludge, activated sludge or landfilled waste. Because of the biological origin, biogas is a sustainable energy source. The use of (cleaned) biogas is encouraged because of the favourable methane combustion characteristics. By using methan ( a strong greenhouse gas) as fuel, the environment is the ultimate winner in the use of biogas plants. Nowadays, more and more biogas is used from wastewater treatment as well as from waste landfill sites. By cleaning/upgrading biogas the biogas quality can be improved, whereby biogas can be blended in the natural gas network. On a smaller scale biogas is applied in cogenerations and as car fuel (comparable to CNG). Also in these power plants Imbema Controls' measuring equipment is installed at various places. 
Cogeneration
Heating and power engineering converts fuel - in one procedure - into electricity as well as into heat. Double benefit! That is why this tested technology is recognized as an environmental friendly alternative for traditional centralized shapes of energy generation. Besides this, it offers many financial and operational advantages. Especially for medium and large consumers an own cogeneration plant pays off rapidly in hard cash. As fuel for the cogeneration in The Netherlands mostly natural gas is used, but also biogas and landfill gas. The choice of the energy source, which drives the generator in the cogeneration, is associated with the available fuel, the desired power and shape, in which the heat must be supplied. In industrial proceedings, large powers, the heat is desired as steam and the gas turbine is mostly the appointed energy source. Gas turbines are built up to high capacities and also applied in modern power plants. To heat offices, hospitals, business premises, green houses etc. mostly an internal combustion engine is used. The cooling water for the engine and the exhaust heat are used to heat up central heating water. Gas engines are available for powers as little as 5 kW up to 5 or more MW. Measuring the various parameters is also integrated in these local power plants in order to permanently monitor the benefit and its safety. 
Wind energy
The average kinetic energy of all winds on earth is (accidentally) of the magnitude order of the total annual energy need. In The Netherlands the average wind speed at the coast is 20 km/hour. That represents a kinetic energy power of 100 W/m2 (the density of air is 1,2 kg/m3). A device with a diameter of 100m can prosecute power of max. 0,8 MW. However, the unpredictability of the wind is the biggest variable when it comes to wind energy. With Imbema Controls' measuring and datalog products this variable's output is a known quantity and optimal availability and management are possible.
